Southeast Asia ministers had urged respect for international law, in implicit dig at China

BEIJING—Foreign ministers from Southeast Asia jointly voiced “serious concern” over rising tensions in the South China Sea, but their unusual show of unity against Beijing appeared to collapse just hours later as their statement was retracted.

Their comments, distributed to media by Malaysia before the statement was withdrawn, came amid China’s diplomatic blitz to discredit a coming international legal ruling on territorial claims that is expected to deliver a setback for Beijing.